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428 comments on “Open Thread XXII”

Sue wrt low cost housing. I think it’s high time the government got stuck into O’Barrell over this. It’s yet another disgrace from this mob of no hopers. It’s definitely time this sort of stuff was broadcast far and wide.

I think O’Barrell’s adoring fans may not feel quite so enamoured of him once they know that he’s trying to deprive the poor of decent housoing.

Her work at the Institute of Public AffairsWhile head of the Environment Unit at the Institute of Public Affairs, Dr Marohasy compiled a backgrounder titled Myth and the Murray – measuring the real state of the river environment[5] which was published by the Institute in December 2003. The Institute received a $40,000 donation from Murray Irrigation Limited at that time.[6] This paper is quoted in the Interim Report of the Inquiry into future water supplies for Australia’s rural industries and communities of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, March 2004. At a science round table of the committee, when asked for her views on how much water should be returned to the River Murray, Dr Marohasy argued that there was no need for additional flows at that time and that we should test the results of current environmental measures before committing to more.[7] Revelations in the monograph forced the resignation of science managers at both the CSIRO and Murray Darling Basin Authority and soon after its publication The Australian newspaper discontinued its ‘Saving the Murray’ campaign.

Dr Marohasy was instrumental in establishing a joint programme with the Institute of Public Affairs and the University of Queensland, funded by Western Australian philanthropist, Dr Bryant Macfie (A top 20 Shareholder in Strike Resources Limited [1] [2]).[8][9] Dr Marohasy is nolonger involved in the programme following objections to her involvement from the Australian Federation of Scientists and Technologists (FASTS).

AFL legend Ron Barassi says he is suffering memory loss and has been diagnosed with an early form of dementia.

Barassi, 76, said his short-term memory was particularly affected. He was kicked in the head in 2009 when coming to the rescue of a woman who was being assaulted in St Kilda and subsequently complained that he had received permanent damage from the attack.

His doctor said Barassi – whose life is the subject of a new play that opens on September 20 at the Athenaeum Theatre – had trouble remembering the names of people and places and what he’d eaten the previous day.

”I’d say he has a form of dementia,” Dr John Tickell said. ”Because dementia is an umbrella term that can involve 50 or 60 neurological diseases.”

”This is about shoring herself back up,” said an MP who supported Ms Gillard in February but is now despairing. ”I hope she does it for all of our sakes because no one is prepared to go to an election on [a primary vote of] 28 per cent.”

grodo, there’s scientists and then there’s scientists. I choose to believe scientists who aren’t pushing a lobbygroup’s barrow.

Don’t worry, grodo. There won’t be an election until late 2013.

By that time all the sheeples will realise that Liealot and the barrackers have filled them full of complete and utter bullshit, the Empire should have collapsed and all the little minions will be scurrying around looking for shelter.

And if the government heeds the lessons of the past couple of years, the Finkelstein report will be adopted together with a nice little sting in the tail ala Canada, which will also have Rupert’s minions crying into their keyboards.

Jane
from your link
“It’s not often that goings-on in Canada interest the American news media, but a rather small decision by a relatively small government agency—the decision not to revoke a rule that bans lying on broadcast news—in Ottawa has made a pretty big splash

The Canadian media speculated that the withdrawal may have been provoked in no small part by the large sector of the public that voiced its displeasure at the idea of Sun TV coarsening the public discourse and deliberately muddying the political waters, akin to what they see in American media”

Jane you may be right about the election date, but by then the ALP may have a new leader and running on a different platform.

James Delingpole in Melbourne…

“We shouldn’t gloat; our real task is to make sure that when the Libs get in they don’t just behave like our Conservative Party and act like we’re green and left.

“You need to totally dismantle all the build-up of green lunacy. (Applause). You need to replace that $180,000 man Tim Flannery with Ian Plimer or Bob Carter as Climate De-Commissioner. I bet they would do the job for fun.”

Twiggy like the limelight and now this “poor me ” mouthpiece is under scrutiny,

As a company director:

“Facing a High Court judgment on his suitability to be a company director”

His financing:

“Jim Chanos, the man who exposed Enron as a fraud and who famously bet against Macquarie Group’s infrastructure model, has Fortescue Metal in the cross-hairs and has made no secret of the fact that he’s a short-seller, labelling the company as a value trap.

His use of shareholder resources:

‘I’ve worked it out and I can tell you it is not much,” he told ABC Radio before again committing to High Court action to kill the legislation. It needs to be asked whether that is a responsible use of shareholder resources and management time. Why on earth would anyone proceed to a High Court challenge if the tax has negligible impact?”

Sue @9.18am, Chanos really gave Twiggy a caning.I reckon The Power Index had a piece on it a few days ago. Definitely not a fan of young Twiggy’s abilities.

No doubt Chanos will be dismissed as a fly-by-night who can barely spell by the usual suspects. That’s IF his criticism escapes the Murdoch filters. Much better to keep that stuff to ourselves, the sheeples might get too confused and start questioning Tony’s judgement if this gets out.

@10.11am. Phone Card will be in paroxisms of joy when he reads that.

Yes folks, SerfChoices is all about making you responsive. If you don’t respond, we’ll respond by keeping your tips.

ELEANOR HALL: More than two dozen people are setting out to walk across the desert from Kalgoorlie to Perth this morning to highlight the urgent need for more research into the deadly asbestos cancer mesothelioma.

Perth is one of the world’s mesothelioma hot spots, mainly because of the now-abandoned blue asbestos mine at Wittenoom in the Pilbara.

More than 2,000 former workers and residents from Wittenoom have died from asbestos diseases and the toll is still climbing, as Matt Peacock reports.

MATT PEACOCK: Wittenoom is Australia’s biggest industrial disaster. It’s estimated that more than 20,000 people lived in the town before the asbestos mine closed in 1966.

Jane wrote: Pip, you have to make allowances, Henshcke probably thinks Uhlmann and Alberici are good at their jobs as well.

Jane,
I reckon Alberici has done a good job so far. Sure she went a bit over-the-top during the interview with Roxon…but I’ve found her to be pretty balanced…and the show, Lateline, is generally informative and enlightening.

Pip at 10.35
When asked about Mr Palmer yesterday, Mr Abbott said that, like everyone else, he would be subjected to a “rigorous” LNP preselection process. The one Mr Slipper passed. No journalist appeared to bring this to his attention.

Bob,When asked about Mr Palmer yesterday, Mr Abbott said that, like everyone else, he would be subjected to a “rigorous” LNP preselection process. The one Mr Slipper passed. No journalist appeared to bring this to his attention

The journalists are paid lackeys for Rupert and Gina and Lachlan and James, those at the ABC are a mix of news.con, and a blogger who is also back writing for Fairfax as well as the ABC.

We can expect nothing but propaganda from any one of them.

I just watched one of the very few whom I had some respect for, Hugh Riminton, who was positivley ebullient about the talk of a leadership change.

1. RBA – cuts cash rate by a whooping 0.5% to 3.75%. Record low RBA cash rate is 3% in April 2009 post GFC.This Cash Rate is lower than it was at any time under the Liberal government. Four of the lowest interest rate 3%, 3.25% 3.5% and 3.75% all happened under Labor. The lowest ever achieved by the Howard Govt was 4.25% in Dec 2001 READ MORE

Pip at 6.16
Yes, I saw Riminton. Ebullient’s right. Leadership stories would be pretty much writing themselves now. Just pick a few standard lines & bung “em together, a computer could do it, save the expense of employing people like Hugh.

Jane, i’ve just spotted this in my emails after reading elsewhere that
News Radio’s Marius Benson asked Jenny Macklin “how does it feel to go backwards”….
Now that i’ve seen him on The Drum it can be safely confirmed that he’s just another arsehat!

Big Indigenous reforms to spearhead services

Four employment and community development programs serving communities in remote parts of Australia are to be rolled into one from July 2013.

In a joint statement, the Ministers for Families, Community Services, and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, for Employment and Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten, and for Community Services, Indigenous Employment and Economic Development, Julie Collins, announced the changes which will affect remote employment and community development services and help more people get into jobs and participate in their community.

Four programs merged into one

The Ministers said the four programs operating in the remote areas – Job Services Australia, Disability Employment Services, Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) and the Indigenous Employment Program – would be rolled into a single new integrated service.

They said that from 1 July 2013 the new Remote Jobs and Communities Program would provide a more integrated and flexible approach to employment and participation services for people in the areas.
They said the program would see jobseekers assisted by a single provider with a permanent presence in their region, ensuring better support to gain the skills needed for employment.
They said it would also ensure that people who were not working were instead participating in activities that would contribute to developing strong and sustainable communities.

Archie, excellent point made about incitement to violence. Nas’ mentioned here a day or so ago about how Australia is going the way of the US. However if you made physical threats in the US against the President, you would very rapidly find yourself handcuffed and fingerprinted.

The police are formally to investigate the Slipper Cabcharge allegations.

Mr. Pyne cannot recall if he asked for Mr. Ashby’s phone number. Would not be surprise if he did. He said it was his job to keep an eye on the Speakers office to words to that effect.

Me. Lenore Taylor was talking about a possible conspiracy on ABC202. It was mentioned that the word conspiracy come up from when it was announced. Ms. Taylor said that Mr. Ashby claims needed to be tested, but the court is the place for that.

So the media is the pace to test allegations if you are Slipper and Thompson. For everyone else, the court is necessary.

Ii wonder what the police are going to fins after nearly five years. Maybe this raid is about other people involved in this alleged scandal.

You miss the point. The problem with Gillard is Gillard, not her policies. People don’t trust her and never will. Time for her to go and hand the leadership over to someone who is respected by the general public, even if this person is loathed by Kristina and her factional friends. We all know who this person is.
Lozza on Kristina Keneally calling on Julia Gillard to dump carbon tax, via story comment
—–

Emerson trying to get the media getting some interest in Pyne, they sure are resisting. He has repeated the information about 10 times but there is only 1 journo asking questions but they ae about what is your evidence emerson.

Heard Lenore Taylor, who now appears each Wednesday on ABC 702. She did not reject the conspiracy allegations. Said that there what Mr.Ashby says, needs to be tested. It was discussed from the moment Mr. Ashby’s allegation release, conspiracy immediately arose.

All Mr. Emerson is asking that Pyne and Abbott be questioned. The word “no specif knowledge” A favorite weasel word of Mr. Abbott’s.

Now to me this is fishy. Why would Ashby be collecting a pressie from Pyne for a former coalition staffer who was leaving? was the former staffer part of slipper’s staff, if not who and why would it have anything to do with slipper?

“Mr Pyne said in a statement that he had met Mr Ashby three times, twice in the Speaker’s office and ”once when he came to my office to collect wine being given to a former Coalition staffer as a farewell gift”.

In his first public comments since the story broke, Mr Ashby said via Twitter that he had nothing to say about Mr Pyne’s comments.
”No external party is paying for my legal or media relations fees,” he said. ”I have not, and will not, be taking money to lodge my legal claim. The court is the proper body to decide the merits of my claim and the veracity of the defence.”

TONY Abbott has backed larger, Coalition-held states securing a bigger slice of the GST pie, prompting an attack from Tasmanian Liberal leader Will Hodgman, who dismissed his federal counterpart as wrong.

The federal Opposition Leader endorsed the push for the GST take to be split on a per capita basis, boosting revenues for WA, Victoria, NSW and Queensland, but slashing funding for Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Kathy has been at the East Branch since the beginning. Second most superior person from the beginning. She has never took allegations to main body. Only person who has access to everything is Kathy Jackson

Twiggy Forrest @ the sycophantic Press Club (I’m certain he woulda got supportive chuckles and applause even if he’d farted) has repeated his claims that Rudd as PM had negotiated a mining tax deal with him just before he got axed…that Swan had sold out the people.

I’m not sure what to believe…perhaps Rudd needs to speak to this…but I’ve rarely trusted the word of big resource company barons who spend an inordinate amount of time fighting taxes.

If the stories are true, I would suspect that the police have had the East Branch under police surveillance. That might explain what Williamson being there early in the morning and allegedly removing documents to his car.

The man is on paid leave.

Ms. Jackson turned up at 9.30.

No matter what happens to day, I hope that Mr. Shorten and the HSU main body are successful in the actions they are taking tomorrow.

How the PM can be responsible for this state of affairs is beyond me. It appears that the Federal HSU have not been given any information about what is going on.

All knowledge and involvement remains with Ms. Jackson.

Maybe also tomorrow, there needs to be an announcement of a royal commission into the branch, which will probably have to be ordered by Mr. O’Farrell.

I see two different agenda’s going on. Maybe corruption by one or more officials, overlaid by a power struggle between one official, and what appears to be the rest of the HSU.

Good interview on ABC24 wth Chris Brown from Tassie HSU.
Power struggle in east branch between Jackson and Williamsom, both been there from beginning of East Branch. They, J& W, set up the rules for that branch, as a seperate entity to other HSU branches. Other branches have their accounts published on FWA, East doesn’t. Jackson never told anyone else about the issues even though the National exec had heard rumors but had no evidence. Jackson went to police, although correct thing to do, could have alerted the national exec, who then could have fixed the mess a lot earlier for members. National HSU also has cour action tomorrow, hopes the east branch is put in administration thus getting rid of all office holders.
Brown also said, if williamson was caught removing papers, while ot co-operating with police, would be a trigger under the rules to remove him.

I wonder as Jackson would know this rule, was she hoping to get Williamson removed, stop being put into the administration, thus keeping her office and take over the branch.

It’s about ensuring government revenue is redistributed to provide more opportunities for the many whilst ensuring the privileged few are forced to sacrifice a bit more.

Isn’t that the approach that ensured the masses got access to decent education and healthcare?…and childcare?…and homes and businesses and institutions got access to affordable transport, communication networks, roads and other infrastructure necessary for a decent lifestyle regardless of where they lived in this great country…and unemployed workers, immigrants and the underprivileged were provided with a safety net they could bounce off…including free training opportunities that benefitted business and industry as well…isn’t that how are great nation was built?…by ensuring that income redistribution was an essential part of our system.

It’s not about envy…it’s about doing the right thing by the people.

And have not some of the rich declared and waged war on the general public by way of their media propaganda machine allies…by resisting taxes…and trying to sabotage and change governments…character assassinating our Treasurer and PM…sacking bulk workers to try and damage the government’s credibility and/or finding lower wage workers overseas?

The Australian is part of the Murdoch empire…a media empire that has aided and abetted…and oft headed…a war on unions…a war on taxes…a war on our government.

nasking, in a way it is about the politics of envy. The envy of those at the top have against those in need getting something they do not.

This will be all we will hear next week.

I do hope that the Treasurer has gone in hard and cleaned the whole lot out. Most but not all come from Howard’s days.

Mr, Tried and failed with negative gearing, maybe Mr. Swan could be luckier.

We do need some support to provide low income housing, but negative gearing is not the way to do it.

I do not think we will have a better time than now, to get some means testing in place.

I heard Mr. Abbott say yesterday he supports middle income families. I am sure it was slip of the tongue, but for once he was telling the truth.

Yes, there is is politics of envy, but not in the way, most think of it.

I did see Mr. Abbott today. It was on Sky. Demanding that the PM go into parliament and lambaste the union. Does one not wait for evidence and the course of justice to run, before one takes that course.

I was reading an article a few days ago and regretfully I can’t recall where, where the contra argument was presented – that when people utilise the term “politics of envy” it is almost always the wealthy who are the ones who are the ones who are envious – this relates to the undeserving poor. The “undeserving” include the unemployed, single parents and indigenous folk. It is with disturbing regularity that we see the undeserving poor targetted.

Min, it’s ludicrous that the biggest moaners in this country are the ones with the biggest bank balances. Hardly a word from the needy. They get on doing the best they can. They must surely hang their heads in disgust when reading in the Murdoch press how hard up people on $150K a year are.

He is demanding that the PM dissociate herself from any votes from the HSU.

It is my understanding that the HSUeast has already cut itself of from Labor. Therefore is relying on no vote there.

The ACTU has also cut links with them.

It is only the HSUeast that appears to have problems. The national body andf the government are taking steps in that department.

Back to Mr,. Thompson, who I believe Mr.Abbott is talking about and attempting to muddy the waters.

Mr. Thompson has had nothing to do with HSUeast.

It is ten years since he had any connection with the branch that preceded HSUeast. Mr. Thompson said he had no financial role in that branch. He did not have the authority to but a paper.

The ACTU, government and the main body of the HSU have all taken action t in this regard.

Maybe Mr. Abbott should used his communication skills of talking to a three year old, to explain exactly what he believes is going on. It does not seem to be about what we are hearing today, or even in the last few weeks.

I’ve just turned on the TV in time to see Craig Thomson stating that he was never involved with HSU East, followed closely by Tony the Wrecker ,blah blah new adjective “putrid” blah blah, demanding that:the Prime Minister should say to the Parliament:-

“I repudiate the Health Services Union vote in the House of Representatives.”

The pressure must be getting to Tony Abbott, ie being asked 1 question

“Both Mr Pyne, who has regular contact with the Speaker’s office as manager of opposition business in the lower house, and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott have said they had no “specific knowledge” of the pending court action.

Mr Abbott on Wednesday walked away from reporters in Sydney when a question was raised about the matter.”

Mining billionaire argued that the super-rich (a grouping within which, with a fortune of more than , s/he includes her/himself) should be forced to pay more cheddar to the state.

Way more, in fact.

currently pays 28 per cent of her/his earnings in tax. She/He thinks that figure should almost double.

“The majority,” s/he notes, “would rather douse their dicks with lighter fluid, strike a match, and dance around singing Disco Inferno than pay one more cent in taxes.”

“What charitable 1 percenters can’t do is assume responsibility – Australia’s national responsibilities: the care of its sick and its poor, the education of its young, the repair of its failing infrastructure, the repayment of its staggering war debts.”

Sue, all that anyone has to do is to ask any question of Tony Abbott..basically on any topic whatsoever, and it’s “pressure”. IF he ever becomes PM, it’s going to be quite a spectacle during Question Time.

Mining billionaire < Insert favourite mining magnate > argued that the super-rich (a grouping within which < s/he &#62, with a fortune of more than < $3billion to $100billion > , s/he includes her/himself) should be forced to pay more cheddar to the state.

Way more, in fact.

< Insert favourite mining magnate > currently pays 28 per cent of her/his earnings in tax. She/He thinks that figure should almost double.

“The majority,” s/he notes, “would rather douse their dicks with lighter fluid, strike a match, and dance around singing Disco Inferno than pay one more cent in taxes.”

“What charitable 1 percenters can’t do is assume responsibility – Australia’s national responsibilities: the care of its sick and its poor, the education of its young, the repair of its failing infrastructure, the repayment of its staggering war debts.”

Hes still an MP representing his electorate and as such is allowed to vote, as is Thomson, so as far as I can see, the government still as the numbers. I can’t see the Liars getting Slipper’s vote now.

Pity Secker couldn’t be persuaded to jump ship.

And @3.46pm, sadly it is the calibre of political reporting in this country.

Of course it’s the politics of envy, Nas’ @4.30pm. Wealth should only flood upwards.The rich are far more deserving than the poor, of whom they are apparently extremely jealous.

I think we should all offer to exchange places with them so they can have all those goodies the poor are getting. I’ll do the right thing and knock back the welfare. :shock:

Does one not wait for evidence and the course of justice to run, before one takes that course.

Not in Liealot’s brave new world, CU.

That’s it in a nutshell, Min @5.02pm.

Migs @5.07pm, that’s because the rich control the media. The poor have no power whatever.

And @5.12pm, bwwaaahahahahaha!!!

CU @5.22pm Liealot kept referring to Thomson as the representative of the HSU in the last session. The government can “accept” a vote from whoever it bloody well pleases!

iealot protects and “accepts’ votes from, criminals like MJ Fisher. The PM should respond by saying that as Slagabella is under a cloud, he must dissociate himself from her vote.

Pip @5.28pm, as long as he repudiates any votes from Slagabella. Otherwise he should stfu until he reads the kindy version of the Constitution. He is an idiot, but this is for the benefit of the ignorant and the bogans.

I still say the PM should put her foot down and demand that he must publicly repudiate Slagabella’s vote as she is under a very serious cloud and rub his nose in the fact the Thomson is not.

He is ultra desperate, now. He can see his grand plan slipping down the slope and him with it. I’m betting he knows Jackson will be in the gun while Thomson will remain untouched. All his screeching for naught.

And as always our objective, unbiased, truthful media pointing out that as usual he’s talking a load of absolute bollocks!

@5.32pm, all I hear are crickets, Pip. And the occasional tumbleweed is rolling by.

Bernard Keane gives us the benefit of his (completely un)biased experience and advice on the PM.

But for their stingier friends, King has a chilling message. “Scrooge changed his tune after the ghosts visited him,” he says. “Marie Antoinette, on the other hand, lost her head.” Axes and taxes – a recurrent ….

Does the PM accept a vote from anyone. I think it is the house that does. That vote is given on behalf of the constituency that voted the PM

It does not belong to the PM. It does not belong to the Opposition Leader.

It is made on behalf of the constituency that give each MP a mandate.

What Mr. Abbott is saying does not make sense and is the actions of a desperate man.

He is trying to twist the procedures, rules and conventions to suit himself.

Mr. Thompson does not represent the HSU. He represents all the voters in the seat that voted for him.

He will remain in this position, unless he becomes bankrupt, convicted and sentence to more than 12 months, or resigns.

Better news. Roxon is addressing the allegations that many minors have been convicted of people smuggling. I believe the cases have been put on hold. Many of these young people should be sent home. They have little to do with organizing the boats anyway. It is if one has to punish someone, no ,atter what.

Now is the time to but a house in Merrylands. The value, has fallen up to 20% because of the gun fights.

Not a bad suburb to live in. I am sure it will not be long before the guns disappear.

I believe unless Mr. Slipper resigns as speaker, the same rules apply. I am a little confused because I am sure I read in the past, that the speaker can leave the chair and exercise a vote.

I wish some expert out there would clear this matter up. Mr. Rith call that his actions on Q and A and the next day did not go far.

He was there early, Said today it has been ten years since he had anything to do with the branch. It is a little confusing. We need a time line. For who was where and when. Also for when the merges took place.

Mid 1990’s is going back nearly 2 decades. That is a long time. Thompson to my knowledge was only an organizer then. That is one thing I am sure of.

Cu @ 8.15pm,He is trying to twist the procedures, rules and conventions to suit himself.

That’s true and whether he believes his own spin or not is anyone’s guess, but there’s no guesswork required to figure out that Abbott knows that vast swathes of the population see a few minutes of news a day in which he will be featured….. spinning.

Ms. Jackson said that Mr. Thompson is in dreamland. I do not know where she is.

In a lot of trouble, CU.

Mr. Thompson does not represent the HSU

He knows that very well, CU but has been spruiking it for some time. High time the government starts calling him the Murdoch and Big Miners representative. A fair bit of squealing and foaming at the mouth would follow, I’d imagine.

Union boss Michael Williamson has allegedly been stopped in a car park with a bag of documents during a police raid on the Sydney offices of the Health Services Union (HSU).

About 10 officers from the NSW Fraud and Cybercrime Squad stormed the second level of an office block in Pitt Street, in Sydney’s CBD, about 9am (AEST) on Wednesday and seized documents and accessed computers.

The raid was carried by Strike Force Carnarvon, which was set up in September to investigate allegations of systemic corruption in the HSU, including alleged misuse of credit cards by Mr Williamson and former HSU official and now federal MP Craig Thomson.

Advertisement: Story continues below During the operation, they intercepted Mr Williamson, the general secretary of HSU East Branch, in a car park in an adjacent building.

‘ONE of the great popular misconceptions about climate-change sceptics such as Ian Plimer, Bob Carter, Cardinal George Pell and me is that we’re all Big-Oil-funded, Gaia-ravaging, nature-hating emissaries of Satan. We can’t look at a lovely pristine beach, apparently, without praying for a nice, juicy oil slick to turn up and wipe out all the pelicans and turtles and sea otters.’

What a friggin’ load that was from Delingpole. Typical over exaggeration of what is really being stated of them and the falsehoods, deceptions and exaggerations they constantly peddle, plus the fact that Plimer and Carter like Monkton have been linked to fossil fuel industries, he nicely overlooks that.

The things Delingpole says can be easily turned around. They constantly peddle doom and gloom, from massive economic collapse and hardship to the complete control of the entire planet by the IPCC. There is no end to the conspiracy theories they continuously espouse.

When Labor were in power in the States the media daily ran negative stories about them, from the most trivial of matters to the outright deceits. Now they are conspicuous by their silence on the current Liberal State governments as they screw up their states, the environment, shaft their workers and clandestinely hand over power to big business without scrutiny of any kind.

“Some scientific conclusions or theories have been so thoroughly examined and tested, and supported by so many independent observations and results, that their likelihood of subsequently being found to be wrong is vanishingly small. Such conclusions and theories are then regarded as settled facts. This is the case for the conclusions that the Earth system is warming and that much of this warming is very likely due to human activities.”

“The response of those who deny the reality of climate change is the strawman rejoinder (exemplified by Delingpole), “Science doesn’t operate by consensus”. This little piece of misdirection is true, but irrelevant. It is precisely because science doesn’t “operate by consensus” — because it is undemocratic, regularly acrimonious and pitilessly Darwinian — that consensus, once gained, is so powerful.”

I also like this comment (paraphrased):
“Both programs last night fell into the trap of calling one side the “skeptics” and the other “believers”.

Most who are against climate change are “deniers” because it is clear that no amount of evidence will convince them to change their minds. They are not skeptical about climate change, they are grasping every straw that they can to support their denial. (remind you of someone)

Another reason it is wrong to call them “skeptics” is that the deniers are never skeptical about the information they hear than then pass on. A classic example last night was Michen’s talk of the warming figures being wrong because they were measured in cities and at airports. If Minchen had been open minded or skeptical, it would have taken him only a few minutes on the internet to find that this had been full looked into and taken into account.”

You must think ahead to the fact that Minchin, the author of WorkChoices MkII stated as the most draconian IR legislation to be proposed in the modern world, will be heavily influencing the next Abbott government on their environmental and climate policy, and Minchin does not base his advice on any science, for or against, but purely on an ingrained hard line far right ideology, and he conveniently has under his direct influence and control a clueless leader.

That’s definitely wrong, most sceptics think CO2 causes some effect but not to the catastrophic degree that the IPCC predicts. They say its of minor significance and there is no need for draconian measures to curtail the increase of this odourless, colourless gas.

The Denialati on the other hand believe CO2 is insignificant in its effect to create any climate change.

Tom, Indonesia has stated this somewhat more sternly in the past and on several occasions – that they will not take back the boats which Australia chooses to turn around. Their reasoning is that they are Our Problem and that our problem is miniscule compared with their own.

The Opposition basically does not have an asylum seeker policy because of 2 factors, one is Indonesia’s refusal to take back any boats and the other is two recent High Court rulings.

We can reveal today that Jackson and her thug Marco Bolano have been charged under union rules by an HSU activist and Royal Melbourne Hospital operating theatre technician Daniel Govan with corruptly receiving monies from the NSW branch of the union to aid the Jackson faction in the Victorian branch elections.

“Wednesday, from the day that Slipper was made Speaker, the Libs were blabbing that they had a pile of files on him.”

Mr. Abbott is suppose to be a boxer. Maybe he was but why does he always broadcast his punches. Nothing the man does, surprises one. This is why I do not understand why he gets with trashing the country and our future.

They are so full of themselves, that the hubris of the belief they have won, is making them careless.

Mobious saidYou must think ahead to the fact that Minchin, the author of WorkChoices MkII stated as the most draconian IR legislation to be proposed in the modern world, will be heavily influencing the next Abbott government on their environmental and climate policy, and Minchin does not base his advice on any science, for or against, but purely on an ingrained hard line far right ideology, and he conveniently has under his direct influence and control a clueless leader.

That’s it ME, the Oppositon has a clueless Leader in the form of a thick skulled “heavy”:.

el gordo, as far as I am concerned, this government has addressed climate change. The Clean Emery Future is not going to go away. It is good for the country regardless as to whether climate change is a fact or not.

There are now other matters to occupy one.

There are new submarines being announced at this moment.

The PM is fielding questions for a while now. Not one about Thompson. I wonder why that is so. All the questions are about Defence. That is amazing.

“Even if James Ashby had raised these matters with me or anyone else, well quite frankly he is within his rights to do so,” he said.”

My problem el gordo, this man did not speak to the people he should have. He should have taken it to someone in charge. He should have taken the matter up with Mr. Slipper himself. He should not have taken the problem straight to the courts.

Jimmy Little memorial service on at Opera House.

We got a good glimpse of what is in store for us, if Mr. Abbott ever got into power. Do they never learn Do they ever listen. The Indonesians had tole them turning the boats around was not on. That did not stop Ms. Bishop of making a fool of herself.

We can be thankful, she is not in power and making a fool of the country.

I can see why Mr. Smith, the acting head of the HSU picked his words so carefully last night about Ms. Jackson..

Ms. Jackson was asked about graft on her part. She denied it so convincingly. We do have to presume the presumption of innocence, even for her. That is a shame.

I am assuming with knowing, that she is accusing all of being vindictive.

It is so hard to keep up with politics at this time.

It will be interesting how the court case will go today. Hard does one appear, when one has been charged.

CU @12.22am, we’ve always known from whence the stench emanates! Everytime Liealot opens his gob, we a huge whiff. This opposition is a pile of rotting fish and at its centre is Prissy, Liealot, HSUeast and their favourite whistle blower.!

Can I just say that now this steaming pile is Liealot’s problem. I knew Jackson would be far more trouble than she’s worth. I suspect there will be a falling out-yet another to add to Ms Jackson’s mountain of fallings out.

Liealot’s noble whistleblower has just poured a drum of refuse over his head.

Jackson’s hypocrisy in this matter – and the gullibility or cynicism of some reporting on her activities – has been monumentally impressive. She puts the ‘me’ in shameless.

It’s for that reason we have decided to publish – with some redactions where we’ve deemed it appropriate – the charges filed by Daniel Govan recently that are yet to be considered the HSU Union Council.

Govan is – contrary to some reports – not involved in the ALP and has never been a member of it, unlike Jackson who has been a serial preselection candidate and long-time faceless woman on its Administrative Committee.

Here are the charges against Jackson she could face at the next HSU Union Council meeting, if she is not replaced by a court-appointed administrator soon.

It is good for the country regardless as to whether climate change is a fact or not.

And that’s something they just don’t get, CU. It’s like not littering the roadsides, the litter may not be harmful (which I doubt), but even so, disposing of one’s rubbish in a responsible way is still a good thing to do.

As for the “we’ll turn the boats around” theme, I think it’s bignoting from Abbott who once again has been allowed to turn a minor or side issue into a major one to suit his convenience. It’s not really meant to happen, any arrivals are expected to immobilise themselves in accord with current practice. But Abbott’s very brave for saying this, isn’t he?
If things go wrong & he’s presented with a seaworthy vessel capable of being turned or towed back, that could be very nasty.

Bob, plus the Opposition has already been provided with advice from senior Navy officials that to attempt to turn boats back has the potential to endanger life at sea, not just of the asylum seekers themselves but of Navy personnel.

Pip
Just saw your post. I know about Indonesia’s criticisms but don’t know just what started them. Did Bishop shoot her mouth off?
Prissy’s line about trying to see Slipper when he could easily have found his movements through the duty rosters reminds me of the Downer AWB defence;” How DARE you accuse me of being across my job!!!!”

This has only be publicised briefly, but one major inroad that Kevin Rudd made while Foreign Minister was gaining the cooperation of the Indonesians to tackle the people smuggling trade at it’s source. This is bearing in mind that the people smugglers who can end up spending years in prison in Australia are for the most part poor Indonesian fishermen. The big bosses and organisers are the wealthy who can afford to bribe officials. It is also highly likely that they have operatives in Australia – one such person was arrested in Australia a few months ago.

The Indonesians as part of this cooperation also gave permission for 2 Australian Patrol Boats to operate in their waters.

And now Tony Abbott’s opposition is going to come along and stuff the whole fckn thing up!!!

The HSU and HSU East
The Health Services Union was officially formed in 1991 by the amalgamation of the Hospital Employees’ Federation (HEF) and the The Health and Research Employees Association (HREA).

The union represents more than 70,000 workers in the health and aged care sectors.

HSU East was created in May 2010 from the merger of the HSU’s Victoria No 1 and No 3 branches with the HSU NSW branch.

HSU East is the branch which was raided by Strike Force Carnarvon detectives on May 2.

I wonder how many people are not eagerly waiting for the NBNco being connected. I know I am.

news Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appears to have made a number of mistakes or factual inaccuracies in a wide-ranging speech criticising Labor’s National Broadband Network project, alleging, for example, that the project’s funding was based on “cooked books” and that retail prices would be three times higher than on current broadband networks.

The comments were contained in a speech Abbott gave this week to the Infrastructure Partnerships Australia conference, a forum which sees public and private sector executives debate public policy in the context of Australia’s infrastructure industry. Abbott’s speech was entitled The Coalition’s Plan for the Infrastructure of the Future. Not all of the speech is based on misleading information; some of it is factually accurate.

In the speech, Abbott strongly attacked the NBN, which is one of the key infrastructure projects being pursued by the current Labor Federal Government. However, in the speech, Abbott appeared to make a number of statements which falsely characterised the NBN project. Firstly, Abbott attacked the retail prices which service providers would charge end user customers using the network, and its construction cost. “The Rudd-Gillard government’s most notable contributions to infrastructure have been roof insulation that’s caused house fires, school halls built at double the normal cost and a National Broadband Network that’s digging up streets so that families can pay three times the current price for broadband speeds they don’t necessarily want or need and that could be delivered sooner at vastly lower cost,” said Abbott.

(I think Tony ‘Government will always be smaller under a Coalition Government, with less Coloured-Tape, and with more reliance on the unalloyed wonders of a freed Private Sector’ Abbott is demanding that persons take another read of page 53 onwards of the Final Orgill Report; either that, or contemplate degraded copper as the betterer wireless technology on the horizon.)

It would be OK if Mr. Abbott to stick to what he says for more than twenty four hours. This week he was all for Perth getting a bigger share of GST. It appears today while in Tasmania, he has changed his tune.

He is against a new airport, we should use Bankstown and Richmond.

For a man who has spent all his life in Sydney, he does not know his city at all. Must never go past the bridge.

Mr. Abbott is going about the country telling everyone what he thinks they want to hear.

“Mr Pyne this week confirmed he had met with Mr Ashby three times – including a meeting at which he personally handed over a wine bottle signed by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott intended as a farewell gift for a Slipper staffer.

It can be revealed Mr Pyne’s meeting with Mr Ashby to hand over the wine – initially delivered to Mr Abbott’s office for signing – was only three days after the late night meeting in the Speaker’s office.

Ms Jackson does not appear to acknowledge any authority, even that ot he courts. She is willing to take the whole HSU down if she does not get her own way.

The judge has consolidated the two applications so they will be heard together on June 5.
The hearing has been set down for three weeks.
The court ordered all parties into mediation.
Outside the court, Ms Jackson said she would not enter mediation with Mr Brown, despite the court order.

Thanks for the stuff on Bishop folks.
She’ll go well as F.M.
I do think the whole towing back thing’s a bit of a “see how tough I am folks!!” sort of thing from the coalition. Their main deterrence program will be to be seen by everybody as really bloody horrible.
But Abbott’s principal aim is to be seen to be keeping the bastards out of Oz. He may also sling Indonesia some cash to look after a few on our behalf under the guise of some “aid, co-operation” angle.

Icebergs anywhere won’t do a thing to prove or disprove AGW theory el gordo. AGW doesn’t say global or local temperatures can’t fall – just that the global temperature over and above natural variability is caused by the increase in CO2. The science says there is a measurable and obvious difference between temperature variations natural drivers can account for and what is actually happening…

My youngest will graduate late this year with a PhD in science (molecular biology) at UQ. She does not espouse to be an expert in climate science, but she says that the science was settled about a decade ago. The issue is now how to tackle this. Hence the reason why PhDs such as hers (biofuels) are so important. The climate change debate is just taking away from the real issue, and this is how to tackle it.

Asbestos victims, the ACTU and now the Labor Party are putting pressure on Treasurer Peter Costello to allow James Hardie to claim tax deductions for its compensation payments to asbestos victims.

ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said yesterday that the Federal Government should come to Hardie’s assistance on this matter, but declined to lobby personally on their behalf, saying that was up to the company to do.
NSW Premier Morris Iemma said there was ‘no significant commercial issue’ outstanding in the negotiations with Hardie.
ALP position
Today Federal ALP Shadow Minister for industrial relations, Stephen Smith, added his voice to the calls for Costello to act.

‘My message to Mr Costello today is exactly the same message I gave him on the floor of [Parliament] yesterday,’ Smith said.
‘When has he ever lifted a finger to assist the asbestosis and mesothelioma victims of James Hardie?

‘When has he, the Prime Minister, [Workplace Relations Minister] Kevin Andrews or any of the employer associations ever lifted a finger to try to come to the rescue of the asbestosis and mesothelioma victims of James Hardie?
‘I urge the Treasurer to sit down with the NSW Government and … the ACTU, and come to a successful conclusion so far as the victims of that outrage are concerned.’

Asked whether it was fair that taxpayers should have to pay for the ‘stuff ups’ of private companies?, Smith said: ‘I don’t like the notion of taxpayers in any way coming to the assistance financially of James Hardie, but I’m quite happy to see taxpayers come to the assistance of the asbestosis and mesothelioma victims of James Hardie.’

No they are not. It is only Jessica Wright that is on to Pyne and his lies. During this week Wright appears to ask a question of Pyne when they have that on record the next story, contradicts Pyne’s statememt. Pyne adjusts like usual blames Labor and is offended by accusations, then another question and more emerges.

I t makes me think that Slipper may have been waiting for something, he has had plenty of threats over the years, and if to be believed as in the lodged court documents, Slipper questioned Ashby on loyalty.

Fair Work gave the report to the CDPP last month, but the Department said it was not able to act to determine whether there was a case for prosecution because the information was not provided in the form of a brief of evidence.

But now the CDPP Chris Craigie says his office is ready to pass the information on to police.

“The examination process has now been completed and consideration given as to whether the material identifies conduct which could involve potential criminal conduct and whether the gravamen of the alleged conduct related to potential breaches of State or Commonwealth offences,” he said in a statement.
“A careful examination undertaken by my office over recent weeks has included consideration of any potential restrictions on my office’s handling of the material, particularly in circumstances where the FWA investigation included the use of coercive powers.

“I have decided that it is appropriate in all the circumstances to forward the report and the related material to the Victoria Police and New South Wales Police Force. This has been done today.”

The Victorian and New South Wales police have been trying to access the report and related material, and the CDPP says it has now been forwarded to both state police agencies.

Cu, it’s just a police investigation. Although it might make headlines these are just snippets and a court will deal with it in due course, this and the rest of it which are not for public appraisal. Thank the deities for democracy and an independent judiciary.

Wayne Swan likened the matter to the Godwin Grech scandal, in which the Coalition colluded with a Treasury mole in an attempt to damage the government. Mr Pyne said “the gist of Labor’s claims are that I had something to do with James Ashby’s Federal Court action. I did not.

“The first I knew of the Federal Court action was when I read about it in the News Limited press two weeks ago.

“If Labor has evidence that disproves that statement, they should produce it. They won’t, because there isn’t any.”

This reminds me more of the time that Tony Abbott organised the $100,000.00
slush fund to get rid of Pauline Hanson.
The slush fund was managed by another old Liberal heavy, Peter Coleman, father-in-law of Peter Costello…..

IF Julia Gillard is to be dumped as Prime Minister soon, next week’s budget could be a very academic exercise. A new Labor leader would have to renegotiate the deal with the independents and be tempted to adjust budget initiatives to reposition the government politically. The carbon tax might be revisited, which would also have big budgetary implications.

News flash Artie old boy, it doesn’t pay to get too far ahead of your game…

Lateline
Broadcast: 26/08/2003

PM knew of Hanson slush fund

The political furore that erupted after Pauline Hanson was sent to jail for three years is showing no sign of abating. A disaffected former One Nation Party member has accused Tony Abbott of acting for the Prime Minister when he helped finance court action against Ms Hanson. Mr Howard’s office won’t respond to the allegation, but has tonight acknowledged that the PM knew about Tony Abbott’s $100,000 fighting fund five years ago.

“Australia’s renowned economic leadership will continue to extend its global influence in years to come, the head of the International Monetary Fund says.
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told the Global Foundation’s Australian summit that the nation had always shown “real leadership” in the turbulent, ever-fluctuating global economy

The crisis had created long-term economic pessimism in many countries, where people now believed “it used to be better and it will never be the same”, she said.

Nasking @ 9.23pm, Abbott has been telling the world what he thinks of the
Prime Minister on an hourly basis, and we shouldn’t have been a surprised
that Mr. Morris felt free to speak in the same unacceptable manner.

Mr Kirby spoke of his personal experience, of the fact he would like to be able to marry his partner of 43 years, Johan van Vloten.

”A loving relationship of tenderness, of gentleness and affection, and fidelity and support is a beautiful thing and anyone who would disrespect it is not a kind person,” he said.

Australia, he warned, was falling behind other nations such as Portugal, Mexico and Argentina, where gay marriage is legal.One of the committee members, Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash, queried him about whether his belief in relationship equality extended only to same-sex couples, ”or are you saying that there should be equity and equality in relationships regardless, for example, of the number of people participating in that relationship?’

Mr Kirby responded that there was a very specific question before the committee.

Senator Cash’s question was an indication of the level at which she operates in the Senate….. :shock:

Is that the sort of nonsense that is discussed among the Liberals and Nationals?

For the last decade and a half our government has been ignoring the economic and social growth of Indonesia, which in the long run will be of far more importance to us than China or India.

Recently Indonesia passed our economy, and on every measure is advancing whilst other economies, including large Asian ones, are either crawling or contracting.

The Gillard government is addressing this and realises that Indonesia will be key to Australia’s economic prosperity in the future.

Abbott will throw that out the door with the bath water of everything else he has promised to undo when he gets into power, which I don’t believe for a moment. Like Howard he will keep nearly all of what Labor did and take the kudos for their success, whilst he trims a little around the edges making lots of noise as he does.

Tassie is on to the Abbott lie. Listeneing to RN, they said the headline in the Mercury paper was A Tune for all Seasons , however the online edition is
“Abbott wont rule out GST Cut”
OPPOSITION leader Tony Abbott failed to guarantee yesterday that Tasmania would not have its GST funding share cut under a Coalition government.’http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2012/05/03/324811_tasmania-news.html

Don’t worry Abbott, the Tassie online edition of the Mercury aain’t that easy to find.

Migs, a complete failure to see the big picture and as you say, too stupid to see the consequences.

I’ve mentioned this in the past, but there is no small reason why China is investing so heavily in renewable fuel sources, so much so that a few years ago China overtook the USA as world leader. I see the USA as a fading power due to neglect of something which was once it’s proudest asset – innovation and imagination.

el gordo, see the numbers in the Korean vote. The world is not moving away from addressing the problem.

Mr Oakeshott’s comments came as the South Korean Parliament voted 148-0 with three abstentions to pass legislation to introduce an emission trading scheme in 2015, despite strong opposition from the country’s business sector.

We live in a democracy, and that being so what the voters do in the next election, will be their choice.

There will always be another to follow.

It is funny politics that is always focus on the next election, from day one now. It is if the only thing that counts is winning.

Remember that the cuts to parenting payments are not going to affect anyone with young children. Mr. Howard introduced in 2006 with a grandfather clause.
That means that the parents still getting the money youngest is at least fourteen or older. At that time anyone with children under eight got the rebate.

That means, 6 years later, there eligible children would be around 14 years.

Mr Combet told ABC radio.
“I think the thing that Australian people respect at the end of the day is that you stand up for what you believe in and you get on and do it.”
South Korea is Australia’s fourth-largest trading partner, the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied natural gas and the third-largest importer of coal.

There is no doubt that because of the ‘precautionary principle’ we are placed in an awkward situation, but there is no scientific or economic rationale for going down this path of reducing CO2 emissions.

I have news for anyone that reads this story, Wyong has always been a backwarded town, one that has never flourished.

This has been true to me since 1956. Back in those days, one went to Gosford to shop.

They ignore to say that Mr. Thompson.s office is on the outside of Westfields, which last time I went, was packed. There is a Home Centre just down the road, on the other side of the railway line. There are biggest industrial centre nearby.

It is true that Wyong has been by passed. There are historical reasons for that. Wyong exists today for it’s railway station.

Up the highway to the north, there is another flourishing shopping centre, with all shops in use. This has grown over the last few years, with a addition of a home centre. Another couple of kilometers, there is another new Coles complex and shops. A little further on, the we are awaiting a planned Woolworths.

It is the same wherever one looks. Now things might be bad foe Mr Thompson, but to give the impression things have gone backwards under his stewardship is just plain wrong.

Even Toukley has all it’s shops open. This is an improvement on the last few years.

It’s 11am and there’s barely anyone walking the streets. “Look how dead it is out there,” says Danielle Suarez, who works at the printing store opposite Wyong station. Choked by traffic but not people, the quiet town is a key centre in the federal electorate of Dobell.

I know it did not get much of a run in the Media, but Mr. Shorten did say his application to the court might fail. What I do not understand is why this union still comes under NSW jurisdicture.

If it is true, that HSUeast is under NSW laws, that means that it is not the PM responsible for not dealing with the mess but the State Premier.

What confuses me, is that HSUeast is made up of members from NSW, Victoria and Canberra but I believe is registered in NSW.

Premier Barry O’Farrell yesterday introduced legislation to give the NSW government the right to appoint an administrator to take control of the branch covering NSW and ­Victoria. He described revelations about the HSU’s finances and internal power struggle as a “tawdry set of events”. “The power to appoint an administrator must be put beyond doubt,” he said.

and

The doubts arise because the HSU – like many unions operating in NSW and Queensland — has federal branches and state-registered unions which function as parallel but separate legal entities.
Unions often use a federal entity to operate under the national Fair Work Act. Most of their assets are kept in a state branch such as NSW. The state union branches sign up to state Labor Party branches and get a say in appointing Labor candidates.http://afr.com/p/national/farrell_seeks_to_sideline_shorten_2EBqIP0MSsphw4YM87fm7M

Could it be that the biggest crime against out PM, is that she changes her mind. It would appear so. Whether the changes of mind are justified, is ignored.

In Australia this week we have seen a frenzy of renewed criticism of the Prime Minister’s political competence, and renewed leadership speculation. There have been calls for her to resign because she has changed her mind.

Why was Mr. Pyne not abreast of developments that night. If he was, he would have known theta the Speaker was occupying the chair before he went to his rooms.

“I mean, why wouldn’t I?” he is reported as saying. “I mean, the more contacts I have in the Speaker’s office, the better, since it’s part of my job to liaise with the Speaker and his office and to stay abreast of developments.”

Treasurer Swan is about to make a statement about the Budget on ABC24…
and while we wait Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest has a say…
he’s saying that the rest of the world is looking askance at Australia blah blah
obviously he hasn’t seen Ms Lagarde’s comments from yesterday…

The past five years have put heavier financial stress on everyone and created a greater demand for expertise and innovative, collaborative thinking on economics, she told the Melbourne summit via video link from Washington on Thursday.

“The interconnectedness between us all has never been more obvious as during and post the financial crisis,” Ms Lagarde said.

The crisis had created long-term economic pessimism in many countries, where people now believed “it used to be better and it will never be the same”, she said.

Australia was critical in combating this attitude with its dependably strong, practical, positive and progressive leadership, she said.

“It’s an economy that is used to cycles, booms and busts, and throughout those cycles, the Australian enterprises, the Australian people, always remain positive and committed to improving the state of the Australian economy, and participating in improving the world as it is,” Ms Lagarde said.

The Tasmanian Greens have chosen winemaker, academic and former investment banker Peter Whish-Wilson to replace Bob Brown in the Senate.

Whish-Wilson runs the Three Wishes Vineyard outside Launceston and previously worked for investment banks Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank. Whish-Wilson, who has been a high-profile campaigner against the Gunns pulp mill near Launceston, also lectures in corporate finance at the University of Tasmania.

Like Queensland Premier Campbell Newman and Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie, he attended the Royal Military College at Duntroon.

Whish-Wilson, understood to be the the nephew of former Sydney Morning Herald publisher Llloyd Whish-Wilson, is seen as a more moderate Green than, for example, senators Lee Rhiannon or Sarah Hanson-Young.

Bob Brown, who is retiring after 16 years in the Senate, told a Hobart press conference today: “I am totally delighted that Peter Whish-Wilson will be Tasmania’s newest Senator.”

“He has a gold-medal winning winery and he will be a gold-medal senator.”

Current Greens leader Christine Milne praised the senator-elect as an ecotourism pioneer, and said she was pleased that northern Tasmania would have a voice in the federal parliament.

Michelle, deary me. He does understand the importance of keeping promises.

My problem is finding out what the promises are.

We need to remember he is very good with the weasel words.

We do know he has an history of breaking promises.

My fear is not that he will break promises, but will keep them.

One aspect of Abbott that raises concern is the nagging doubt about what he would really do if he had his hands on the levers of power.
He does understand the importance of keeping promises – if he ever did not, Gillard’s experience has taught him. Nevertheless, his ascension to the leadership was so unexpected, and as he smells power he is so scripted and managed, that no one can be sure whether the voters would get what they cast their ballots for.

Nevertheless, his ascension to the leadership was so unexpected, and as he smells power he is so scripted and managed, that no one can be sure whether the voters would get what they cast their ballots for.

Re “scripted and managed”, so much so that he sounds like a broken record.

And if Grattan isn’t certain what we’re getting one has only to look at Abbott’s record of non-achievements while a minister, then his useless performance as Leader of the Opposition in achieving zilch for the benefit of the country..plenty there for the benefit of one Tony Abbott, of course. Tony’s complete inability to grasp any sort of practical concepts..a Green Army and bat-phones to the Patrol boats and nothing he says can be believed, it must be in writing.

Abbott is the sort of supreme egotist who believes that anything he wants, anything he wishes for equates with reality.

Cu, yes it is about time, past time for petrol price movements to be examined.
The petrol companies have been untouchable for too long.

As for Michelle Grattan, it’s been a long time since she wrote a thoughtful article.
I wonder has her head been turned now that she’s a radio star?
Her morning guest spot on Radio National with Fran Kelly is like listening to two silly old biddys …..

Why? For a start, he has a problem with recognising a democratically elected Parlaiment.

Not just the ridiculous argument that Oakeshott and Windsor live in conservative electorates, thus they should have backed a conservative party, while ignoring the choice of the constituents to back two Independents.

{ Maybe he should have stood up and shaken hands with them when they entered the room to discuss forming a minority government, istead of sitting with his feet on the table. }

No not that.
He didn’t like the fact that in 1998 Pauline Hanson pulled in 36% of the votes which in his opinion should have gone to the Liberals.

What did he do about it?
hn 1998 he secretly organised a slush fund to pay another person to get Hanson out of Parliament. the slush fund was managed by Peter Costello’s father-in-law Peter Coleman.
Mr. Coleman is the husband of Pru Goward, another regular on The Drum….

The political furore that erupted after Pauline Hanson was sent to jail for three years is showing no sign of abating. A disaffected former One Nation Party member has accused Tony Abbott of acting for the Prime Minister when he helped finance court action against Ms Hanson. Mr Howard’s office won’t respond to the allegation, but has tonight acknowledged that the PM knew about Tony Abbott’s $100,000 fighting fund five years ago.

Fast forward to the present, and Mr. Pyne and Mr. Abbott
say they knew nothing about Mr. Ashby’s actions.

CU
that Grattan article made me think that even grattan was worried about what she has pushed so fervently on the australian electorate. the babble today was a sad expose of a one time political journalist. all that is left is a writer of continuos opinion pieces, no depth at all.

But the statements themselves are quite clear. The Atmosphere chapter finds between one-third and two-thirds likelihood that within the next 20 years there will be increased illness and death caused by motor-vehicle-caused air pollution. It finds the same odds of rising temperatures increasing the concentration of toxic ozone at ground level, with the health effects and hospital stays that flow from it. And it noted that urban air pollution is already significantly affecting people’s health in our cities. Present tense, with reference to the recent past. Now.

ANU death threats claim debunked, from Delingpole in the UK Telegraph.

There were no threats to kill or mame so ‘the Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim said: “I consider the danger to life or physical safety in this case to be only a possibility, not a real chance.”

‘No wonder the university was so keen to keep things quiet. Contrary to the claims of the “climate” “scientists” – widely reported, of course, in the left-wing media – there had been no death threats whatsoever. Yet their vice-chancellor at the time – now the Australian government’s Chief Scientist – Professor Ian Chubb decided to move them to “more secure buildings” without, he now admits, having read the emails to see whether these threats actually existed.’

The collapse of beer sales is nothing compared to the imminent bursting of the CO2 bubble.

‘If the unthinkable were to happen and the collapse in carbon prices in the EU ETS were to become permanent, what would become of EU climate policy? Europe would have an impossible time meeting the target of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 20% by 2020 and 80-95% by 2050.’

El gordo. and Timothy Pilgrim said: “I consider the danger to life or physical safety in this case to be only a possibility, not a real chance.”

A matter of degrees..a danger to life or physical safety only a possiblilty and not a real chance.

Hell, then let’s not worry..open the gates and let’s all party because a danger to life is only a possibility and not a real chance. There is something a little unnerving when one reads “and not a real chance”..is this something along the lines of a double dare ‘ya.

Of course I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about because you have not provided a link..and although a good majority of authors and admin on this blog are psychics, we’re not always mind-readers.

ANU death threats? They’re going to tar and feather the music teachers in the Arts faculty? Or am I missing something…

I was visited by my favourite vers libre bard, a cockroach named Archy, last night. The words he left on my computer are here on my blog. He is a learned and politically astute cockroach. A pity he does not do punctuation.

There are other things going on, as well as the scandals involving both sides.

The Clean Energy Regulator has today published an initial list of 250 ”liable entities” that will face the $23 per tonne tax, however a further 80 companies have also notified that they are likely to face the new tax in the 2012-2013 financial year.

The Heartland Institute is out with what is quite possibly its most ill-considered publicity stunt to date: a poster ad campaign comparing a belief in global warming to the psychology of mass murder.

The Chicago-based think tank notorious for denying the basic facts about global warming on Thursday launched billboards in Chicago featuring the likes of Ted Kaczynski (better known as the Unabomber) and convicted murderer and cult leader Charles Manson, saying these notorious criminals “still believe in global warming” and asking viewers if they do, too.

The first billboard appeared on Thursday over the Eisenhower Expressway, the interstate freeway running west from the Chicago Loop.

“Of course, not all global warming alarmists are murderers or tyrants,” notes Heartland in its press release (some killers also simply think puppies are cute, breathe air and tie their shoes one at a time).

It isn’t the first anti-environmental campaign to draw such outlandishly false connections, though it is probably the most prominent. The website Vegetarians Are Evil, for instance, makes such meaningless revelations as identifying Genghis Khan as a vegetarian.

is a American conservative and libertarian public policy think tank based in Chicago, Illinois which advocates free market policies.

The Institute is designated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit by the Internal Revenue Service and has a full-time staff of 40, including editors and senior fellows.

The Institute was founded in 1984 and conducts research and advocacy work on issues including government spending, taxation, healthcare, tobacco policy, global warming, information technology and free-market environmentalism.

In the 1990s, the group worked closely with the tobacco company Philip Morris to question the science linking secondhand smoke to health risks, and to lobby against government public-health reforms.

More recently, the Institute has focused on questioning the science of climate change, and was described by the New York Times as “the primary American organization pushing climate change skepticism.”

The Institute has sponsored meetings of climate change skeptics, and has been reported to promote public school curricula challenging the scientific consensus on climate change.

Healthcare
The Heartland Institute advocates for free-market reforms in healthcare and opposes federal control over the healthcare industry. Heartland supports Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), replacing federal tax deductions for employer-based healthcare with a refundable tax credit to allow individual choice over health insurance, removing state and Federal healthcare regulations aimed at providers and consumers of healthcare, and reducing litigation costs which are associated with malpractice suits.

It is an environmentalist’s dream come true. The once feared “Heartland Institute,” funded by the secretive Koch brothers in their campaign to undermine science and deny the plain evidence for climate change has just committed a very public suicide on the Eisenhower Expressway on the outskirts of Chicago.

That is where the first billboard appeared the other day to launch what has to be one of the kookiest public relations campaigns in history. I could scarcely believe my eyes when I saw the image on the internet — the disheviled “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski glowering down at commuters asking: “I still believe in Global Warming. Do you?” The weirdest part of it is that the Heartland folks actually put their name on the bottom of it for all to see. In other words, the notorious group has come out of the shadows (where they have been lurking for the last decade or so funding false front groups and harassing hard-working scientists) and finally fessed up to being the kooks and fanatics that we long suspected they were.

The free market “think tank” was discredited in February when documents leaked to the press revealed its plans to disseminate a new school curriculum which aims at “dissuading teachers from teaching science.” The documents detail how the organization has funded a rogue’s gallery of debunkers (mostly non-scientists) to sow seeds of doubt about the clear consensus of researchers worldwide that our climate is warming due to the rising levels of CO2 released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels.

But evidently this huge public fiasco only whetted Heartland’s appetite for punishment. The billboard campaign which they have just initiated will undoubtedly finish off the spectacular crash and burn which the leaked “Climategate” memos initiated. The Kaczynski ad is only the first in the goofy series which are being put up in preparation for the group’s so-called “7th Annual Conference on Climate Change” scheduled for the end of this month. Still to come are billboards featuring Charles Manson, Fidel Castro, Osama bin Laden and James J. Lee (who took hostages inside the headquarters of the Discovery Channel in 2010).

Was just watching the informative Situation Room on CNN with Wolf Blitzer and balanced reporting of Elizabeth Warren”s Nth American Indian past came up…and the HYPED ATTACK by her critics for identifying herself as such.

Warren is running as a Democrat for the Senate…she’s a top lady…so of course the usual suspect media are attacking her.

And of course the hypocrites attacking her never worry about the fact they oft go on about their Scottish and Irish and Italian etc. links…

and how many business people use their ancestry to get a leg up…create a connection for business interest purposes?:

In the explosive second part of his exclusive interview on Friday’s Amanpour, Ehud Olmert, former Israeli Prime Minister, said certain elements in the Jewish community in the United States had deliberately derailed the peace process.

Olmert was speaking of the peace plan he proposed in 2008, when he was Prime Minister. Knowing the political risks, Olmert sought a “full comprehensive peace between us and the Palestinians” – a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.

“It broke my heart, the most difficult decision of my life,” said Olmert, once the Mayor of Jerusalem. “Because for me to propose a division of Jerusalem was really terrible. I did it because I reached a conclusion that without which, there will not be peace.”

But Olmert’s plan was never adopted.

“It was a killer for me,” he said. “It was a killer for me not only because of the opposition in Israel. I think that, by the way, in Israel the majority of the Israelis would have supported my plan, had it come for elections.”

Then, he leveled his astonishing charge: “But I had to fight against superior powers, including millions and millions of dollars that were transferred from this country (the U.S.) by figures which were from the extreme right wing, that were aimed to topple me as Prime Minister of Israel. There is no question about it.”

While Prime Minister Julia Gillard still controls the house through her deals with the independents and Greens, Tony Abbott now has bragging rights for which major party has more members…

BRAGGING RIGHTS! Exactly what the political media are focused on. Not what legislation passes because a majority of MPs in the parliament keep outvoting Tony Abbott… but how we can manufacture some arbitrary “bragging rights” for him.

Look out in the budget for new funding in regional healthe services
this annoucment yesterday, appears to have been missed by the msm, thanks to northcoastvoices

“This development is one of a large number of projects being funded by the HHF in the 2012-13 Budget to help regional health service networks manage the expected increase in demand for services over the coming years.

Treasurer Wayne Swan said: “As a Labor Government, we will always manage the economy in the interests of working people, and that means delivering a surplus while making room for critical investments in health infrastructure like the one here in Yamba.”http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/

you will love this one, NSW govt and Mental health services, no patients/clients no new ones being accepted but still open for business, well maybe

““The National Party defines two local mental-health services – Karrawa Cottage and Ellimatta House – as open for business, despite an admission they have no clients and are rejecting new ones,” Mr Oakeshott said. “A Yes Minister episode identified the best hospital as one with no patients, but this is meant to be a television comedy show, not National Party policy.

Nas’, a good opportunity for a bit of a break..some great lines here..under the title of mediocrity. I’m a huge Goons fan, used to listen to them on my cat’s whiskers wireless which doubtless accounts for my subsequent statements.

On The Bridge on the River Kwai. How long is the river? X miles suh! How wide is the river? X yards suh! Then we will build the bridge across the river.

There are thousands of Hungarians who have been whistling in English frequently.

A million families will get a new cash payment of up to $820 for every child they have in school, being spared the hassle of claiming back education costs in their tax returns.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has decided to axe the education tax rebate and replace it with direct cash payments, after more than 600,000 eligible families failed to claim $400 million in rebates in 2010/11.

The new SchoolKids bonus will be paid directly into the bank accounts of families eligible for Family Tax Benefit A. It will begin in July – when the carbon tax takes effect – and arrive in two instalments each year.

Families will be paid $820 for every child at high school and $410 for each child in primary school.

In an extra one-off boon, the government will pay refunds for the last financial year directly into bank accounts in June. That $830 million outlay will fall in the current financial year, helping to relieve the cost to the budget in 2012/13, when Labor vows to return to surplus.

Then, he leveled his astonishing charge: “But I had to fight against superior powers, including millions and millions of dollars that were transferred from this country (the U.S.) by figures which were from the extreme right wing, that were aimed to topple me as Prime Minister of Israel. There is no question about it.”

Nask,

When the 2000 Camp David talks failed (the blame for which fell on Arafat’s head) Barak and Arafat, back home again, sought to resolve their differences, away from the bevy of advisors and spin doctors.

Barak invited Arafat to his home for dinner and they discussed their differences in private. By the end of the evening both leaders felt they had come to a workable solution to their problems. They phoned Bill Clinton to let him know.

Within hours, Ariel Sharon with a phalanx of security was touring the Temple Mount. It was highly provocative, and intended to be so.

The rest is history. Sharon defeated Barak for Prime Minister of Israel, and the subsequent Intifada drenched the un-Holy Land in blood.

I’m sure that left to their own devices, these two cousins would soon sort out their differences.

el gordo, if this a bribe, it is not a new one. Same goes for Mr. Hockey and the government panicking over the carbon tax, which not a carbon tax.

I believe that it is an recognition that introducing it a a tax rebate was not the best or fairest way to go for many reasons.

1 The government has been endeavoring to simplify the tax system. To do that, tax rebates have to be eliminated, not added to.

2 Handing the benefited out as a tax rebate, gives more to the higher income earner, than those on low income.

3 Many are not claiming the benefit. Either do not realise they are entitled, or are not keeping receipts. I would wager that not many high income earners are making this mistake.

4 You have to spend the money and wait for over a year to get the money back. Many low income earners cannot afford to spend up front, therefor the child misses out on what the need, and the parent on what they are entitled to.

5 Keeping this measure as a tax rebate, conflicts with this budget intent to raise the tax free threshold, in this budget and the next.

6 It was meant to support the low income earner. They miss out on the present system. When the tax free threshold is lifted, more will miss out.

Yes, this is very good move on the part of the PM.

Maybe the PM only motive is to do what is good for the whole nation. If tapped on the shoulder, she might just move aside. They would have to convince her, that it was in the interest of the nation to do so, not just politics

Personally the PM and Labor have no choice but to continue on with what us strong polices and doing what is right. .

If that does not ensure a win at the next election, so be it. Losing an election is not the end of the world. Should not be for any party.

To me, I see a budget that is going to be strong on getting rid of waste and setting the groundwork for the coming restructures that are necessary to perform in the new global economy that is emerging. One cannot afford to linger in the past.

Past remedies are unlikely to work today.

The trick will be, to bring the budget back to surplus without destroying the economy.

Sadly the confidence of the community is needed for this., We have an Opposition whose whole political strategy is to pull down a legitimate elected government, and are prepared to destroy the economy to do so.

The media is amiss in not challenging Mr. Abbott’s slogans, as they mean nothing within themselves.

Mr. Abbott needs to tells us why things are bad, as he sees it.

I am fed up with people trashing this government without saying why.

We are not even hearing what has to be done to make it better.

The announcement of the beginning to deal with the great dental problems is good. It is good that a move is being made on age care, not before time. The same goes for NDIS foe the disable.

These are all things that the Productivity Commission says that needs to be done,. to improve productivity in this country.

What we will not get next week, is an honest appraisal of the budget that Mr. Swan brings down.

Later, Ms Gillard defended the revamped payments to parents with school children, saying that under the existing education tax refund one million people missed out of the entitlement either in part or in full.

She said the new system is a better way of getting the money in the hands of eligible parents.

‘This is a helping hand for those families because we understand that so many families are under pressure, and this will provide some relief for helping with all of the costs kids have at school,’ she told reporters in Canberra.

The legislation to change the education tax refund will put to the parliament this week so that payments are ready to start immediately in July and January next year.

Mr Hockey has hit out at the commentary and says the case should be left to the courts. He would not be drawn on the Brough issue.
”I’m appalled at the more recent comments from the foreign minister that seek to discredit the complainant,” Mr Hockey said.
”I’m quite appalled at the debate going on at the moment, trying to treat this guy as a political football. It’s got to stop.

Listening to Joe Hockey on Insiders didn’t give any great hope of the Opposition presenting properly audited Budget costings assumptions with a Bjelke Petersen-like arrogant ‘don’t you worry about that’ attitude.

Hockey called for an end to commentary on the Slipper/Ashby business, but he would have more credibility had he made that call before it became clear that very senior Liberal figures C. Pyne, M. Brough and others were involved up to their necks in a dirty tricks exercise designed to bring down the government.

Barrie Cassidy quizzed Hockey about the Budget costings

BARRIE CASSIDY: Have you yet decided with your costings how you will have those costings audited and authenticated before the next election?

JOE HOCKEY: Yes, we have.

BARRIE CASSIDY: And how will you do it?

JOE HOCKEY: You’ll see.

BARRIE CASSIDY: BARRIE CASSIDY: But the last time around the accountancy firm you used it was found they were breached professional standards, they were fined and reprimanded. This time will you guarantee it will be a genuine audit?

JOE HOCKEY: Well, an audit is obviously a broad term. In accounting senses you have audits of companies; but audit with a small ‘a’, which is what I was referring to, is about ensuring that we can verify that our numbers are accurate.

“Numbers are accurate” indicates an exercise in arithmetics, it doesn’t in any way relate to balanced budget costings..

The Coalition made four kinds of mistakes in its costings according to the Treasury; the understandable, the inexcusable, the inexplicable, and those resulting from a failure to comprehend the nature of the process.

Although concealed from the public at the time of the vote, the decision of Andrew Wilkie to go with Labor on the basis of the costings suggests they’ve come at a price.

Fast forward and it looks for all the world as if Joe hockey is planning to pull the same stunt again.
The only way to have budget costings assumptions assessed is to have Treasury examine them; hiring a private, Liberal oriented accountancy firm to add up the numbers is nothing but a sham.
The Coaltion clearly didn’t expect the truth to emerge and even when it did they could not own thier duplicity. Hockey stil doesn’t

Just thinking, we always knew when Howard was lying because one shoulder would drop to one side, plus he opened his mouth to talk. I think that we have it, the Libs are on a loser when Hockey Speaks Out..he panics a bit doesn’t he.

(Indeed; I didn’t know we were discussing xXx at this late stage in the game, Joe; I thought we were discussing background matters, like mind(er)fulness about views and positions on appropriate exercises of civic duty and reasonable media(ted) interventions on behalf of vulnerable persons.)

Tony Abbott could promise to carry you to the moon on gosamer wings and the media wouldn’t bat an eyelid. Maybe one day someone might ask Mr Abbott, and how are you going to buy that gosamer and how are you going to buy the fuel to take you to the moon.

Gee, all Labor is about this week is the politics of smear. Smear, is not that all is politics is about when one listens to the right.

Mr. Bolt managed not to talk about one piece of policy, that has been announced during the week, except for the Defence cuts.

Mr. Bolt needs to widen his horizon and take his blinkers off.

There has much more going on than this.

Mr. Downer has never seen a government that has made so many tactical errors. I suggest he takes his memory to the government he was in.

I think that Downer and Hawker are ready to come to blows.

Ashby’s solicitor has informed Mr. Slipper that his press Secretary is on leave as well.

Do not know what is important in that, except to wonder if he is on full pay. I do not believe he would have accumulated much leave in the time he has been employed.

Do not know why Bolt thought it was a great matter of importance..

At least today, Hawker stood up for the PM.

Once again Mr. Bolt played half a video. Police involved in the so called Thompson affair were asked if Mr. Thompson has been interviewed. The police replied that he had declined to be interviewed, bit I clearly remember the police made clear it was his right to so. Mr. Hadley asked the question. I believe answers should be played in fullm to give the fill meaning.

On the carbon front, my employer is currently breaking ground on the co-gen gas turbine & I’ll be off to Melbourne (of all places 8-O ) for a training junket later in the year.
They are clearly motivated by knowing that they’re on that list of polluters.

With Sinodinos dobbing the mad monk in on his pre-knowledge of the Ashby/Slipper affair (oops – wrong word) the question realistically becomes, “Is there another such single-minded attack dog in the Opposition ranks?”
If not, and Abbott does self-destruct, will the Government get some of that clear air they need?

On the Drum last night a researcher said that 28% of Australian bank customers were unhappy with their bank. Customers also said in a survey that they didn’t trust banks. That figure would be nearer 100% if customers knew the full extent of their deceptive behaviour.

What I’m talking about is the myth that banks perpetuate about their “funding costs”.

It’s an easy myth to push because the public thinks that customers deposits provide the funds that banks lend. The CEO of the ANZ repeated this lie in an article in the SMH recently, and got away with it.

The facts are that deposits are never lent.

We’re also told that banks borrow. We think those borrowed funds are also loaned out. They are not.

The truth is these deposits and borrowed funds are placed on reserve with the RBA to keep what’s called their “Exchange Settlement Accounts” topped up. They are not reserves in the ordinary sense of the word.

But these reserves at the RBA make up a tiny fraction of the banks’ loan book.

The “money” that the commercial banks actually lend is printed on their own photocopiers.

“Under pressure to fund lending from deposits, the banks argue the higher cost of raising funds is forcing them to hold back some of the reduction in interest rates.”

And so it goes…the above quote from an article in the SMH just this morning.

I don’t know if these were the banks’ words or the journalist. But they’re wrong.

The comment distracts from a real problem the banks are facing, and that’s currency risk.

Banks can get funds from foreign sources, but with all the current uncertainty they could get caught badly if the Aussie dollar went south. So it’s safer at the moment to fund their reserves, not their lending,from domestic deposits.

Migs, next time you’re in the NAB, just ask about these things. You’ll get a puzzled look from counter staff, but when you go higher you’ll get a wry smile and “no comment”.

This matter began back in the days of Whitlam. It is time is was dealt with.

Who is sick of hearing Mr. Abbott’s slogans, that appear to be repeated every few minutes. today on ABC24. It would be nice to hear him have something decent to say.

“The federal government is to investigate Wilton as a site for a second Sydney airport despite the NSW government’s opposition to the project.
Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese announced in a statement today the government will initiate a “detailed investigation into the suitability of Wilton”.